Budding Roses
by fashiondivac
Summary: Forbidden love between Severus Snape and a Gryffindor student named Zoey. Rated T for angst and lots of sadness.


"Zoey? Helloo?" Thalia Rosenthal said, waking her up from a daydream.

"Oh sorry, um, I guess I zoned out. What were you saying?" Zoey Swanson asked, a little tired.

"Zoned out thinking about him? Although you never told me who it is… Go ahead, tell me! I won't tell anyone!" Thalia begged.

Zoey sighed. She knew Thalia had a point. But the trouble was Zoey also knew it would never come true because this was forbidden. She told Thalia as much, but Thalia only wanted to know more. Just my luck, Zoey thought.

She agreed to tell her a few clues.

"He's a professor, and not exactly popular to most." Zoey said.

Thalia was quick to guess. In fact, she got it right, on the first try. Her guess was Professor Snape.

But however, someone else heard. Someone not to be trusted…

Abbi Jackson smiled evilly. She had dreamed of her potential claim to fame for so long. She made it her immediate goal to tell everyone about this 'forbidden attraction' as possible. Plus, she had always hated Professor Snape, so she hoped she could get him fired.

Abbi noticed a group of Ravenclaws rushing past. Hopefully she could snag them for a little gossip session…

Soon everyone, professors and students alike, knew Zoey's secret. Even the dark-robed, sarcastic professor knew. But what he would do with the information was the question…

Zoey just knew she heard people she had never guessed could find out whispering about it. When she passed by clusters of students, she could feel their stares. Thalia was the only one who stayed with her. Even Professor Snape looked awkward.

Professor Snape hoped with all his soul that he could find Zoey, and fast. She was basically ten minutes from getting expelled. Her Head of House, Professor McGonagall, was currently attending to a detention for Harry Potter, and it ended in ten minutes. If he could stage a 'detention' with Zoey, it would give them a chance to think of a plan.

He finally found her chatting with Thalia, who seemed to be her only friend. He was painfully reminded of his days with Lily, which preceded a (very long and agonizingly regretful) time of being friendless, which lasted until the current moment and (possibly) on and on.

He knew now was the moment.

"Follow me." He said.

And she did…

Zoey was truly scared. She knew, just from the vibes she was getting off him, that there was a problem. Her greatest fear was that he didn't like her back. Did he? Could he ever? She truly didn't know.

He led her into his office and sat her down across from him at his desk. He looked searchingly into her eyes, and it felt odd, like he was staring into her soul. Maybe he was. But she allowed herself to relax as she gazed into his.

This is something I could get used to, Zoey thought. His presence, just the two of them, felt natural.

She officially diagnosed herself as hopelessly in love. He had a few questions, though.

"Is-is this true? How could you, an angel, fall in love with a man haunted by demons that could never live up to your level in life?" Professor Snape asked, as a single tear flowed down his cheek.

He then grabbed a penscieve, solemnly extracted a memory from his mind, and placed it in.

"Jump in," He said.

"All right, Snivellus?" James calls out.

Snape reacts quickly: he drops his bag and reaches for his wand. James, however, is faster, and Disarms him. Sirius laughs, and uses the Impediment Jinx to prevent Severus from retrieving the wand.

Some of the surrounding students seem apprehensive; others, entertained. Wormtail gets up to get a better view of the scene. James glances at the girls at the Lake before he and Padfoot approach the fallen Snape.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" he asks.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," Sirius sneers. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."

Several people laugh. Snape struggles, trying to get up, and pants, "You — wait! You — wait" with an expression of pure loathing.

"Wait for what? What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?" Sirius coolly taunts.

Severus spits a mix of swear words and hexes. James coldly orders, "Wash out your mouth. Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles appear at once in Snape's mouth, making him gag.

Lily Evans

Suddenly, someone else approaches, causing James to ruffle his hair instinctively. Her shoulder-length thick, dark red hair and green almond-shaped eyes inform Harry that this is Lily Evans, one of the girls who had been at the edge of the Lake; she shouts, "Leave him ALONE!"

The tone of James' voice changes at once to a more pleasant one. "All right, Evans?"

"Leave him alone," she repeats, glaring at James. "What's he done to you?"

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean ..."

Most of the crowd laughs, with the exception of Remus and Lily.

"You think you're funny. But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on ... go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

The jinx on Snape is starting to wear off, and he reaches for his wand.

Lily says, "I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid."

"Bad luck, Prongs," Sirius notes, and turns to Snape. "Oi!"

It is too late. A flash of light causes a gash to appear on the side of James' face, and blood spatters on his robes. Another flash of light has Snape hanging upside-down in the air, with his robes falling over his head. Several people cheer, and the three entertained Marauders laugh.

Lily almost smiles, but catches herself in time. "Let him down!"

"Certainly." With a jerk of James' wand, Snape falls to the ground. Before the Slytherin can do any damage with his wand, however, Sirius uses the Body-Bind Curse on him.

Lily gets her wand out. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

James earnestly pleads, "Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you."

"Take the curse off him, then."

James obeys with a sigh. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus."

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinks. "Fine. I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

James is far more affected by the insult than she is. He furiously orders Snape to apologize.

"I don't want you to make him apologize!" she shouts. "You're as bad as he is!"

"What? I'd NEVER call you a — you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can — I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

She turns around and leaves. James tries calling her, in vain.

"What is it with her?" he asks his friends.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," Sirius offers helpfully.

James looks quite furious. "Right. Right."

After another flash of light, Snape is once more hanging upside-down.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

"And this is why I'm not worth your love. This has haunted me for two decades now. Lily was- my best and only friend. And, she-she never forgave me." Professor Snape said, openly crying. Zoey looked like she was fuming at the mention of Lily. He asked why.

"Did she even know that this was obviously your greatest fear?! Plus, after one thing, she just, turned on you! What the heck?! You obviously loved this girl! Argh!" Zoey shouted furiously.

"I-I know, Zoey…" Professor Snape said. He was the most emotional she had ever seen him.

Within minutes, her anger turned to tears. She was crying into his arm, him rubbing her back soothingly. She finally calmed down enough to do something that surprised both of them-

She kissed him.

They both emerged blushing and out of breath, scared to even look at each other for the fear of falling deeper in love than ever before. Zoey snuggled into him and he held her tight.

Then, Abbi came in, nervous and guilty. She had been called for a detention with Professor Snape. She was very surprised to see them gazing into each other's eyes and that surprise was doubled when Zoey lightly kissed him on the cheek. Abbi rushed out to tell everyone that they were now happily in an embrace and her 'claim to fame' actually helped them get together.


End file.
